Historical backdrop

1856 - Leganes was registered as a pueblo upon the decree of Isidro A. Brudit, Spanish governor of Iloilo.

1860 - 1899 The town was administered by Kapitanes

1900 - 1902 American colonizers appointed Zacarias Jaen as first President of Leganes

1904 - Leganes became an arrabal of Santa Barbara, and was represented by Thomas Gustilo and Macario Jagunap, followed by Arsenio Guillergan and Eugenio Maranon in 1914-1915

Jan 1st - 1940 Leganes becomes a full pledge municipality by virtue of executive order 241 signed by then Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon. Marcos Espino was appointed as Mayor

Nov - 1940 Marcos Espino became the first elected Mayor of Leganes

1941 - Second World War. The Japanese imperial forces appointed Delfin Guinalon as puppet Mayor

1945 - Martin Jaen was appointed mayor after the liberation. The second year he became the second elected mayor of Leganes

1952 - 1955 Pablo Jinon succeeded Jaen and became the third mayor of Leganes. Mayor Espindion jagunap became Leganes forth mayor. He was re-elected for another term in 1960.

1963 - The people of Leganes voted into office, Atty Adolfo Jaen. He was given another mandate in the election of 1967

1972 - 1975 Mayor Espiridion jagunap again became town mayor when he was elected in 1972

1980 - Atty Adolfo Jaen became mayor again. He was re-elected in 1984

1986 - President Corazon Aquino appointed Josil Jaen as officer in charge of Leganes. He became the town's sixth mayor when he ran and won the 1989, 1992 and 1995 elections

1998 - Atty Adolfo Jaen, now a veteran in politics was given another mandate to serve as town mayor

2001 - Mayor Enrique Ike Rojas, a fresh face in politics, won the mayoral contest to become the seventh mayor of Leganes

Present - Atty Adolfo Jaen is presently the municipal mayor after winning the May 2006 election.

Town History

The municipality of Leganes started as a small settlement in what is now known as Brgy. Guihaman. Back in the early 1840s, this was the place where "guiham" or wild boars stayed. As the population of this small settlement flourished, so did its economic activities. With the influx of migrants from nearby Jaro and Sta. Barbara, trade and commerce began to prosper. In 1858, to avoid the Php600.00 fine to be levied upon its inhabitants, early settlers registered this settlement as a "Pueblo". In compliance with the decree of Don Isidro A. Brudit, Spanish Governor of Iloilo in 1856, the place bore the name "Valencia", a town in Spain whose patron is Saint Vincent Ferrer, based on historical account, the founders of this pueblo were Don Angel Gustilo, Don Mariano, Don Jacinto Sandoval, Don Lorenzo Gustilo, Don Juan Hilado, Don Fulgencio Espino and Don Miguel Valencia. It wasn't long before these founders engaged in a squabble. They sent a protest and petition to the Alta Mar in Spain, invoking a change of the pueblo's name because it gave unwarranted honor to co-founder, Don Miguel Valencia. Annoyed, the Alta Mar named the town "Leganes", a town in Spain that was of little significance.


source: http://www.otopphilippines.gov.ph/microsite.aspx?rid=7&provid=65&prodid=790&sec=2

Leganes church declared a diocesan shrine

ILOILO CITY, April 4, 2008—The Parish Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in Leganes town (6 kilometres north of Iloilo City) was declared today a Diocesan Shrine. Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo signed the decree on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the foundation and the dedication and consecration of the newly renovated Parish Church of St. Vincent Ferrer.

The decree was read during the Dedication and Consecration mass stating that the Parish Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in Leganes, Iloilo, was proclaimed a Diocesan Shrine, "in accordance with Church law, with all the duties, rights and privileges given to a Diocesan Shrine by the Code of Canon Law, as well as other Church documents, particularly the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy."

"In the 150 years of its existence as a parish, the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in Leganes, Iloilo has locally fulfilled the same functions as shrines, even without canonical recognition. This Church has formed part of the "topography" of the faith and of the popular piety of the people of God, not only in the Island of Panay, but also in the nearby Island of Negros as well as the adjoining islands in the Visayas, who flock to the Church the whole year round to fulfill their promises or "panaad" and to invoke the heavenly intercession of their beloved St. Vincent Ferrer. Furthermore, many testimonies of heavenly favors and spiritual graces received abound among these devotees of the Saint," the decree stated.

Leganes town will celebrate its patronal town fiesta on 5 April, 2008. Thousands of devotees and visitors are expected to flock the parish church to obtain the intercession of their beloved St. Vincent Ferrer who has never failed to pray for them. (Fr. Ryan Teves)


source: http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/1727